Centrifugal mold for casting pipe



March 18, 1924. 1,486,952

D. 5. DE LAVAUD CENTRIFUGAL MOLD FOR CASTING PIPE Original Filed Aixg. 27, 1920 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 ATTORNEYS.

March 18 1924o v 1,486,952

' D. 5. DE LAVAUD CENTRIFUGAL MOLD FOR CASTING PIPE Original Filed Aug. 27, 1920 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 ATTORNEYS.

Patented at. is, 1924.

tater DIMITRI SENSAUD DE LAVAUD, OF PARIS, FRANCE, ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE ASSIGN- MENTS, 'I'O OENTRIFUGAL PIPE CORPORATION, A CORPORATION OF DELAWARE.

CENTRIFUGAL MOLD FOR CASTING PIPE.

Application filed August 27, 1920, Serial No. 406,442. Renewed. May 6, 1922. Serial No. 559,072.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, DIMITRI SENSAUD DE LAVAUD, a citizen of the United States of Brazil, and resident of the city of Paris,

Republic of France, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Centrifugal Molds for Casting Pipe, described in the following Specification and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, that form part 0t the same.

The principal objects of the invention are to overcome the difficulties of providing reliable bearingsupports forthe mold which will not be detrimentally afi'ectedby the conditions due to the excessive heat to which the mold is subjected, and to ensure the effective dissipation of the heat absorbed by the mold from the molten metal.

A further object is to, ensure the production of pipes of uniform and true dimensions and uality.

One of t e principal features of the invention consists in the novel arrangement of roller supportsdn pairs beneath the mold at points substantially midway between the centre and the ends of the mold whereby flexure of the mold under the influence of the heat and the weight of metal deposited In theldrawings Figure 1 is alongitudinal part sectional elevation of the device.

Figure 2 is a cross section through the mold and its surrounding "casing.

Figure 3 is an enlarged longitudinal section of the mold wall and a portion of the annular water jacket partitions.

Figure 4 is a transverse section onfthe line 44 of Figure 1, omitting the pipe 23. Figure 5 is an enlarged sectional detail of one of the roller supports taken on the line 55 of Fig. 2. f

The casting of standard lengths of pipes such as used for conveying water, gas, etc., by centrifugal methods'has' developed many obstacles and the principal ones have been to overcome the difliculties of providing bearing supports which. will maintain the mold perfectly true in its rotation and which'will not be affected by the heat and to provide an effective means for dissipating the heat.

Unless the mold is properly balanced the heat and the weight of the molten metal causes flexure in the mold and the rapid ro- 'suitable track supports as shown in Figure 4.

Within the casing 7 are I secured the bracket members 18 arranged each side of the vertical centre and in pairs, which pairs are located a distance from the ends of the casing approximately one-quarter the total length. The brackets 18 are provided with ball bearings 17 in which are mounted the spindles 16 carrying the rollers 15. Upon these rollers is supported the cylindrical mold 6 in axial arrangement within'the casing. Those portions of the outer surface of the cylindrical mold which contact with the rollers 15 serve as bearing surfaces.

It will be readily understood that as the roller supports are arranged substantially one-quarter the length of the mold from each end thereof that the weight of the mold will be accurately balanced longitudinally and'there will be no bending stress and consequently the mold will remain true and may be rotated at high speed without gyration. Consequently when the metal is poured it will flow smooth. and evenly over'the surface and will under the centrifugal action assume an even thickness, thus producing a pipe of accurate and uniform dimensions.

The mold is here shown formed in two longitudinal sections 6- and 6, see Figure ring 21 housed in an annular groove in the mold 6. A chamber is thus formed for the Pelton wheel 8 which is driven by a jet of water from the nozzle 11 to rotate the mold.

Atthe opposite end of the casing 7 are secured a pair of rings 19 formed with cylindrical surfaces 19 which engage the packing rings 21 supported in annular grooves in the mold 6.

The end rings 19 and form a water jacket 22 around the mold to which water is fed from the pipe 23, such water escaping through the pipe 24:. The diameter of the casing. 7 and the mold 6 are proportioned so that the body of water in the jacket is sufficient to absorb the heat radiated to and through the mold and prevent the overheating of the mold. The bell end of the mold 'is effectively cooled by the water used in propelling the wheel 8.

The water circulated thru the water jacket need not circulate under great pressure but merely under the comparatively small pressure measured by the sum of the pressure required for circulation and the pressure to overcome centrifugal action on the water by the spinning exterior of the mold,provided the jacket is of a thickness such that the quantity of water of the jacket surrounding a given length of pipe is large enough to absorb a number of calories substantially equal to the number absorbed by the mold during the congealing of such length of the single pipe. I have found that the average thickness of the jacket if the best result-s are to be obtained, should be at least three times the thickness of the mold wall plus the thickness-of the pipe wall.

It will be readily understood from this description that the mold may expand and contract longitudinally and diametrically without. limitation and without disturbing in any manner the balance or effect-ire operation of the hearing supports and as such supports are of comparatively small proportions and are in contact with the mold only at four points they will not interfere in any manner with the free movement of the water within the water jaoliet.

lVhat 1 claim as my invention is:

1. A centrifugal mold for casting pipe, comprising, a cylindrical mold adapted to be rotated, and bearing supports for the mold arranged substantially mid-way be-- tween the centre and the ends of the mold to effectively balance the mold longitudinally,

said supports allowing free longitudinal expansion and contraction of themold.

2. A centrifugal mold for casting pipe, comprising, a cylindrical mold adapted to be rotated, and having cylindrical bearing surfaces arranged intermediate of its length, and roller supports for said mold having a uniform diameter adapted to engage the bearing surfaces of said mold in sliding contact.

3. A centrifugal mold for casting pipe, comprising, a cylindrical mold adapted to be rotated, a casing encircling said mold and forming a water jacket therea-round, roller bearing supports arranged on the inner side of said casing and supporting the mold axially therein and arranged to maintain said mold in longitudinal balance.

4. A centrifugal mold for casting pipe, comprising, a cylindrical mold adapted to be rotated, a casing encircling said mold and forming a water jacket therearound, roller bearing supports arranged on the inner side of said casing and supporting the mold axially therein and arranged to maintain said mold in longitudinal balance and adapted to allow said mold to expand or contract without restriction and without disturbing its balance, and means closing the ends of the Water jacket around Said mold.

5. A centrifugal mold for casting pipe, comprising, a cylindrical mold adapted to be rotated, acasing encircling said mold and forming a water jacket therearound, and spaced from the mold so that said water jacket is not less than three times the thickness of the metal wall plus the thickness of the pipe wall, means for feeding water to said Water jacket at one end thereof and an overflow arranged at the opposite end.

6. Means for supporting a flexible cylindrical mold designed for centrifugal cast-- ing, comprising a plurality of sets of rollers each set supporting part of the length of the mold, and each being centrally located relative to the part supported.

7. Means for supporting a flexible cylindrical mold designed for centrifugal casting comprising two sets of rollers one positioned substantially one quarter of the length of the mold from one end, and the other positioned substantially one quarter of the length of the mold from the other.

Signed at New York, in the county of New York and State of New York, this day of July, A. D. 1920.

DIMITRI SENSAUD DE LAVAUD. 

